featured blog posts

Ronnie Gilbert, an original member of the legendary folk group, the Weavers, died today (June 7) at the age of 88. While the prodigiously talented Pete Seeger was clearly the most noted member of the group (Fred Hellerman and Lee Hays were the other two members), it was Ronnie Gilbert who gave the Weavers their lyrical elegance.

Too many people forget that Madonna, the most successful solo artist in history, has paved the way for so many artists, both male and female. With her outspoken opinions, her sometimes shocking but always thought provoking performances and her pure determination, she's broken down barriers on women, pop stars, homosexuals, race, religion, business and everything in between.

I fear that the reason for the Mumfords' status as "one of the most maligned bands in the world", to borrow Drowned In Sound's phrase, is nothing more complicated than that old cliché: build 'em up, and knock 'em down.

As easy as it is to be snarky about Eurovision, there is a lot of genuinely well-crafted pop going on there too, so we at Popbitch decided to afford it the respect that such effort deserves. We analysed hundreds and hundreds of Eurovision entries since 2000 to see if there is any sort of scientific formula for success...

I'm not suggesting we all burn our copies of 1989 and vow not to speak Taylor's name again, but I am accusing Swift of controverting everything she initially set out to do. She has become one of those girls she used to sing about, and she appears to be anything but ashamed of it.

Imagine telling my teenage self that if I was very patient, when I'm in my late 30s, I would meet the idols of my youth. Duran Duran: Twenty-four years later, 85 million-plus records later. Me: Three sons later, a long career in journalism later. It finally happened.

One of the great things about doing the television series 'Young Drunk Punk' (set in Calgary in the '80s) is that I get to share the music that was so formative for me. The music that propelled me into the world. Into comedy and to Toronto. More importantly, it's really satisfying to have people hear things from this underrated era.

Instead of expecting socially relevant music or artistic works from mainstream artists, it is high time for us to give our support to cultural workers or artists whose songs and other productions are the voice of the voiceless.

As we mark the singer's 80th birthday, let's remember not only the Elvis of our dreams, but also the Elvis of history, whose recordings and performances changed popular music forever. Even today, Elvis the icon is everywhere -- bigger in death, it sometimes seems, that he was in life

I've realized balance is probably something that DJs need more than people with normal jobs, sunlit ones where you can just eat a Chop't salad at your desk and hit Soul Cycle after your last meeting of the day. A DJ's cubicle is everyone's party, and that's not a workspace where balance is easy to achieve.

Eleven years before the release of Nirvana's juggernaut Nevermind during the apex of glam metal, Sub Pop Records was a fledgling Xerox-and-X-Acto-knife-produced fanzine that championed local music scenes across the country.

A bounty of exemplary singer/songwriters have embraced their native New York as their core inspiration and a powerful component to their personal brands. Let's look at five top pop artists among the many greats who personify the grit, elegance and power of their beloved city.